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Living and Working in Space Stcaf National Aeronautics and Space Administration Living and Working in Space f a c t s The more we know about the universe, the more would be unable to walk or stand up when they we learn about ourselves. Every NASA mission return to Earth after months of floating in space. embodies the spirit of discovery. The following information will provide a glimpse of how astronauts live their daily lives while learning about the unknown. Health and Hygiene NASA Zero gravity and a sunrise every 90 minutes can disrupt an astronaut’s health, both physically and mentally. The crew must combat motion sickness, claustrophobia and homesickness every day. They also must be prepared for any medical emergencies that may arise. Astronaut N. Jan Davis spends a moment of her off-duty time aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery brushing her hair. Davis, payload commander, never strayed far from the payload operations checklist, seen attached to the nearby middeck wall. The crew typically gets eight hours of sleep time after a 16-hour mission day. Just like on Earth, astronauts can have dreams and snore. The excitement and anxiety of being in space, motion sickness and noise from the station or other crew Astronaut Peggy A. Whitson, Expedition 5 flight engineer, cuts Cosmonaut Sergei Y. Treschev’s hair in the Zvezda members can disrupt sleeping patterns. Each Service Module on the International Space Station. astronaut gets a sleep mask and ear plugs to block Treschev holds a vacuum device the crew has fashioned out noise and light. to catch freshly cut hair, which is floating freely. Astronauts take sponge baths daily, using two Astronauts don’t have to worry about germs like on washcloths, one for washing and one for rinsing, Earth; the only germs aboard the space shuttle or and use rinseless shampoo to wash their hair. the International Space Station are the ones they Water and soapsuds stick to the skin in weightless take with them. But that doesn’t mean they won’t conditions, and excess water is suctioned into the get sick. Zero gravity causes the fluids in your body wastewater tank. Toothpaste can be swallowed or to rise to your head, which feels like a constant sucked out, like in the dentist’s office. head cold. The air quality on the shuttle and the station is vital Astronauts are required to exercise two hours per to the astronauts. Without oxygen, the crew would day, using the treadmill or stationary bicycle, to get fatigued, black out and die. The Environmental avoid the bone and muscle deterioration that occurs Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) aboard in zero gravity. Without this exercise, astronauts the station creates oxygen using electrolysis. This process uses solar-panel-generated electricity to split water The toilet is composed of the toilet bowl and the urine funnel into hydrogen gas and oxygen gas, just like photosynthesis (gray tube). The astronauts position themselves on the toilet occurs on Earth. The hydrogen is then vented into space. seat using leg-restraints and thigh-bars. The toilet works like a vacuum cleaner with fans that suck air and waste into the The ECLSS must also remove the ammonia, acetone and commode. Each astronaut has a personal urinal funnel, which carbon dioxide gases, produced by the astronauts, as well as has to be attached to the hose’s adapter. Fans suck air and any gases produced by the experiments. NASA scientists are urine through the funnel and hose into the wastewater tank; currently working on a plant-based system to replace the no flushing is needed. mechanical process. Food containers are disposable and eating utensils and trays Water is constantly recycled aboard the station. A Russian- are cleaned using moist sanitizing towelettes, eliminating the built water processor takes the humidity and condensation need for a dishwasher or kitchen sink. The galley is a modular from the air and turns it into drinking and bathing water. unit that heats and rehydrates food and beverages. Housing The space shuttle has three decks: the flight deck, the middeck (living quarters) and the life support and housekeeping deck. The middeck is four meters long and 2.7­ 3.7 meters wide. The crew eats, sleeps, bathes and plays here. The area has a toilet, a washbasin, a galley with an oven, lockers, bunk beds and the airlock that leads to the cargo bay. On the space station, the crew members have a little more space, even though most of it is taken up by experiments. The Zvezda Service Module is the primary living quarters for the astronauts and houses the galley, refrigerator/freezer, exercise equipment, sleeping cabin, toilet, washbasin and a kitchen table. Using the bathroom Astronaut Edward T. Lu, Expedition 7 NASA ISS science officer without gravity is a and flight engineer, eats a meal in the Zvezda Service Module on different experience. the International Space Station. The toilet aboard the space station doesn’t Lockers house the astronauts’ personal belongings, including require flushing because personal hygiene items, clothing, books, CDs and anything it has fans that suck air and urine through the else they brought for the trip. funnel and hose into the Sleeping can be a problem when you are weightless. wastewater tank. Astronauts must strap themselves down when they sleep to avoid bumping into things. Station and shuttle crews have sleeping bags that can be attached to a seat or the wall. On the shuttle, there are four sleep sacks. Other crew members can sleep in the commander’s seat or the pilot’s seat or can attach themselves to the wall. Astronaut Paul W. Richards, STS-102 mission specialist, is pictured in the Zvezda Service Module in front of one of the sleep stations. Astronaut C. Michael Foale, Expedition 8 mission commander and NASA ISS science officer, floats in front of the galley in the Zvezda Service Module on the International Space Station as he fills a Crew Healthcare System Water Microbiology in-flight analysis bag from the potable water dispenser. Living and Working in Space Instead of sleep sacks, there are two crew cabins aboard Working the station, each accommodating one person. When there Space shuttle and space station crews put in a lot of overtime is a third crew member and the commander allows when they are in space. The average workday for an astronaut everyone to sleep at one time, the astronauts can sleep in space is 16 hours, and they are on call 24 hours a day. anywhere in the station, as long as they attach their sleeping bags to something. The shuttle crew’s activities include conducting experiments, assembling the station and maintaining the shuttle while in Communication space. The shuttle crews also conduct missions that involve When astronauts need to phone home from the space station, the release, capture or repair of satellites. The shuttle’s they use the Softphone via a laptop computer. The system average flight time is two and a half weeks, a short time in uses Internet Protocol (IP) information packets to route the comparison to the six to nine months Expedition crews signals and, when connected, astronauts can use the spend on the station. computer keypad to dial any number and call anyone they The station crew’s main purpose is to conduct research, take wish. They speak through a headset with a microphone. The part in medical experiments and maintain the station. Each distance can mean there is a time lag of up to one second in Expedition crew has its hands full with new and continuing conversations. Standard IP phone systems would disconnect experiments in two labs: the U.S. Destiny Laboratory Module with such a delay, so the Softphone the astronauts use is and the Zvezda Service Module. Two other experiment modules will be added: the Japanese Experiment Module and the European Columbus Laboratory Module. Each lab module houses several experiments researching bioastronautics, spaceflight, physical and Earth sciences, space biology and space product development. Astronauts also conduct ongoing experiments on themselves. Monitoring the stresses of extended microgravity and its effects, the station crews will help predict and prevent any adverse, long-term effects that would harm future crews on deep space missions to Mars and beyond. Maintaining the station is a full-time job in itself. The crew is constantly checking the station systems, cleaning air filters and updating computer equipment to keep it in good condition. The crew also has to be ready for emergency repairs, spacewalks and trash duty. Cosmonaut Yuri I. Malenchenko, Expedition 7 mission commander, uses a communication system in the Zvezda Service Module on the International Space Station. modified for the station. Astronaut television interviews show that same one-second lag. Other inconveniences may include lack of service due to the satellite being out of range or the station blocking the signal. A new digital tool called the Orbital Communications Adapter allows high-speed data transfers and carries voice and video signals, allowing astronauts to send e-mails to coworkers and family. When astronauts and cosmonauts leave Earth, they also have amateur, or HAM, radio as a constant companion. Since its first flight in 1983, HAM radio has flown on more than two dozen shuttle missions. Dozens of astronauts have used the Space Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment, or SAREX, to talk to thousands of kids in school and to their families on Earth while they were in orbit. They have pioneered space radio Astronaut Edward T. Lu, Expedition 7 NASA ISS science officer and flight experimentation, including television, text messaging and voice engineer, performs routine maintenance on an extravehicular mobility unit communication.
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